Coupling devices for straps or webbings



Aug. 2, 1966 c. P. MOLLA ETAL COUPLING DEVICES FOR STRAPS OR WEBBINGS Filed July 8, 1964 INVENTORS CHARL5 P MOLLA fiA/THo/w LHDOGfiN/i WWW HTTORNEY United States Patent 3,263,295 COUPLING DEVEKIES F1111 STRAPS GR WEBEHNGS Charles P. Malia, Old Westhury, and Anthony Ladogana,

Bronx, N.Y., assignors to Moiia incorporated, Westhury, N.Y., a corporation of New York Fiied Judy 8, 196- 1, Ser. No. 331,203 4 Claims. (Cl. 24-265) The present application is a continuation-in-part of our prior application Serial Number 320,665, filed November 1, 1963, and issued May 11, 1965, in Patent Number 3,182,364.

This invention relates to coupling devices used for securing straps or webbings to frames of seat and backrest members of furniture of different types and kinds, wherein the frames are rectangular in cross-sectional form. Further, the invention deals with a device of the character defined formed from a single strip of metal fashioned to form a wide channel portion for reception of the furniture frame and a reversely directed narrow channel portion for reception of the end of a strap or webbing. More particularly, the invention deals with a device of the character defined, wherein the outer wall of the narrow channel portion includes indentures forming longitudinal beads extending transversely of said wall and engaging the end of the webbing disposed in the narrow channel for securely retaining said end of the webbing against displacement from the device.

The novel features of the invention will be best understood from the following description, when taken together with the accompanying drawing, in which certain embodiments of the invention are disclosed and, in which, the separate parts are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views and, in which:

FIG. 1 is a sectional view through a rail of a furniture frame showing one of our improved devices mounted thereon, with one end of a webbing attached thereto, the section being on the line 1-1 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 2 is a view looking generally in the direction of the arrow 2 of FIG. 1, showing the crosspiece of the webbing in section; and

FIG. 3 is a side view of one of the devices as initially formed, preparatory to attachment of the end of a webbing thereto.

Considering FIG. 3 of the drawing, it will appear that the coupling device 14) is initially fashioned to form spaced side walls 11 and 12 which are joined by a crosshead 13 forming one wide channel of the device. In forming the wide channel, the walls 11 and 12 are set inwardly to a slight extent, which forms slightly protruding rounded corners 14 where the crosshead 13 joins the walls 11 and 12. This construction provides slight spring properties between the walls 11 and 12 for a drive fit upon the frame, in connection with which the device is finally mounted.

At 15 is shown a gripper wall which joins the free end of the wall 12 in a rounded portion 16, the gripper wall 15 being normally flared outwardly in defining the narrower channel of the device so as to facilitate free insertion of an end of a webbing, as later described. This narrower channel is directed in a direction opposed to the direction of the wide channel. At the end of the gripper wall 15 is an angularly offset flange 17, which is arranged at an angle greater than 90 to the inner surface of the wall 15.

In FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawing, we have indicated at 18 a rail of the frame of a seat or backrest of a piece of furniture, the rail being rectangular in cross-sectional form, as clearly seen in FIG. 1. In order to generally identify the relationship of the rail in a piece of furniture, the surfaces thereof are identified. For example, 19 will represent a top surface, for example, of a seat frame or it could be the inner surface of a backrest frame. .20 will represent the lower surface of the seat frame. 21

will represent the outer surface and 22 will represent the inner surface. Thus, it will appear that the Webbing 23, which is attached to the device, has contracted ends, one of which is seen at 24 in FIG. 2 of the drawing and, bearing in mind that the narrow channel portion of the device is arranged upon the surface 22 of the rail 18, the webbing extends from the narrow channel along the lower surface of the crosshead 13 upwardly over the surface of the wall 11 and then inwardly over the upper surface 19 of the rail 18. With some types of webbings, the sides of the webbing extending beyond the device will flex to a slight degree in the direction of the surfaces 20 and 21 of the rail 18 but, with some of the heavier or more substantial plastic webbings, the same will retain substantially the position as illustrated in FIG. 2 of the drawing.

In attaching webbings to spaced rails of furniture, such as the rail 18, a procedure which can be employed is as follows. The devices are first secured to the contracted ends of the webbing, such as the end. 24 illustrated in FIG. 2. Here, it is pointed out that only one end of the webbing is shown, it being understood that both ends would be of the same construction having the coupling devices thereon. This attachment consists in placing the contracted end 24 in the narrow channel between the walls 12 and 15 and then flexing the wall 15 inwardly and angularly to the wall 12, as illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawing, and applying indentures such, for example, as the indenture 25, to form an elongated rounded gripper 26 engaging the webbing. This gripper extends a substantial transverse length of the wall 15, as clearly noted in FIG. 2 of the drawing. In forming the indenture 25, the flanged end 17 is re-shaped upon the webbing and this reshaped portion has another longitudinal indenture 27 formed therein which preferably extends the full width of the wall 15, as indicated in FIG. 2 of the drawing. The second indenture 27 forms on the inner surface of the wall 15 another elongated rounded gripper 28. The two grippers 26 and 28, together with the inward flexure of the wall 15 in the direction of the wall 12, will securely retain the contracted end 24 of the webbing against dis placement from the device 10.

Considering FIG. 2 of the drawing, it is quite apparent that the webbing 23, including the contracted end 24 thereof, is of greater width than the width of the device 10.

With the devices 10 coupled to both ends of the web bing in the manner above described, the entire assemblage is then placed in a heater, or subjected to heat, sutficient to soften the plastic employed. The temperature of this heat will depend entirely upon the characteristics of the webbing used. When it is in heated state, the webbing will extend sufliciently to facilitate attachment or mounting of the devices 11 upon the spaced rails of the furniture frame, such as the rail 18. The devices will have a pressed or drive fit on the rails when these devices are properly located in opposed relationship to each other on the spaced rails. When the plastic webbing cools and sets, it will tensionally be positioned between the opposed rails and assume a taut straight line, as indicated by the partial showing of the upper portion of the webbing 23 in FIG. 1 of the drawing. It is a well known fact that, with most plastic materials, after heating and stretching or forming, they seek their normally produced form and characteristics in the cooling operation. Keeping this in mind, it will be understood that the webbing is cut to carefully measured lengths so that the straight webbing portions extending between the spaced rails will be taut or under slight tension. It will also be apparent, in this connection, that, when the webbings are flexed, due to the weight of an occupant seated in a chair or other piece of furniture, the webbings will return to their tensioned position as and when the chair or other furniture is vacated.

Having fully described our invention, What We claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A coupling device for securing webbings to supports of rectangular cross-sectional form, said. device initially comprising a strip of sheet metal having a wide U-shaped channel portion defined by spaced rigid substantially parallel side walls joined by a substantially flat elongated crosshead, the device including a narrow pressure deformable U-shaped Webbing gripping channel portion, said narrow channel portion being formed by one of said side Walls and a supplemental gripper wall integral wtih said one side wall and flared with respect thereto, said narrow channel portion opening in a direction opposed to the direction of opening of said Wide channel portion, the side walls joining said crosshead. in rounded corners, said gripper Wall terminating at its end in a webbing engageable flange offset at an angle greater than 90 to the inner surface of said gripper wall, and said gripper Wall, in attachment of an end of a webbing in the narrow channel portion of the device by deformation thereof thereonto being fashioned to form rounded elongated gripper means extending transversely of said gripper wall.

are set inwardly throughout the major portion of their lengths to dispose portions of the rounded corners beyond outer surfaces of said side Walls.

3. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein one of said last named gripper means terminates short of the side edges of said gripper wall.

4. A device as defined in claim 3, wherein another of said gripper means extends transversely of the full Width of said gripper wall.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,568,373 9/1951 Sweet 24-137 X 2,832,399 4/1958 Varkala. 2,898,648 8/1959 Bright 248l X 3,088,517 5/1963 Schwartz et al. 3,175,269 3/1965 Raduns et al.

FOREIGN PATENTS 460,985 11/ 1949 Canada. 855,346 11/1960 Great Britain.

WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner.

2. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein the side walls 25 D. GRIFFIN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A COUPLING DEVICE FOR SECURING WEBBINGS TO SUPPORTS OF RECTANGULAR CROSS-SECTION FORM, SAID DEVICE INITIALLY COMPRISING A STRIP OF SHEET METAL HAVING A WIDE U-SHAPED CHANNEL PORTION DEFINED BY SPACED RIGID SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL SIDE WALLS JOINED BY A SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT ELONGATED CROSSHEAD, THE DEVICE INCLUDING A NARROW PRESSURE DEFORMABLE U-SHAPED WEBBING GRIPPING CHANNEL PORTION, SAID NARROW CHANNEL PORTION BEING FORMED BY ONE OF SAID SIDE WALLS AND A SUPPLEMENTAL GRIPPER WALL INTEGRAL WITH SAID ONE SIDE WALL AND FLARED WITH RESPECT THERETO, SAID NARROW CHANNEL PORTION OPENING IN A DIRECTION OPPOSED TO THE DIRECTION OF OPENING OF SAID WIDE CHANNEL PORTION, THE SIDE 